Michigan Talent Wins A Tony Award

Benj Pasek and Justin both graduated from the University of Michigan in 2006 with their bachelor degrees and went onto make for themselves in the arena of musical theater! Mlive.com explains their rise to glory best!

"Pasek and Paul, who recently won Oscars for the song "City of Stars" from the movie "La La Land," earned Tonys for best score for writing the songs for "Dear Evan Hansen." The musical was the winner of six Tonys on the evening, including best musical."

The two have been collaborating for a number of years, writing for theatrical productions such as...

"Duck For President"

"If You Give A Pig A Pancake"

"Smash"

"Sesame Street"

"Johnny and The Sprites"

"A Christmas Story"

Yet that is not the only Michigander that won a Tony this year! Gavin Creel won a Tony for his performance in a musical in Bette Midler's return to Broadway in "Hello Dolly". Mlive.com quoted Gavin's acceptance speach...

"My education there as a young person changed my life forever," he said. "My professors, my classmates, they instilled in me an appreciation for what it is to be an artist and what it is to be lucky to be a part of this incredible community. If you're out there and you have money - and I know a lot of you in this room have a lot of it - start a scholarship."

So now the tally of greatness working in the theater is 3...yet it gets better!

James Earl Jones was given the "Tony Lifetime Achievement Award" this year! Yep, another U of M grad. that is making Michigan proud!